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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. march — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fine — high quality
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. march — the month
  10. cap — a hat
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. craft — boats
  13. season — of the year
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — the animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — of ice
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. season — in sport
  23. fine — all right
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com